Shards
by marabell
Summary: A love story in pieces. / Five years after leaving Hogwarts, Hermione connects with her former professor. AU
1. Pretend

**Author's Note: **This story was started a few years ago as part of a drabble a day challenge. It's a consistent story, but told out of order, in one-hundred word vignettes. The chapter title indicates the prompt that was used. The first fourteen chapters were written in 2008, the rest will be new. Hope you enjoy it!

* * *

"And I'm sure you remember Professor Snape," McGonagall said.

"Of course," Hermione said as she extended her hand.

"Miss Granger," Snape sneered, his arms remained crossed.

Hermione bit her lip, awkwardly pulling her hand back. "It's, ah, Ms. Weasley, now," she corrected him.

Snape's brow furrowed even farther. "Of course it is."

"I'll let you two chat, then," McGonagall said, and hurried off to see to her other guests.

Hermione glanced around, nervously, "Well, sir, what have you been doing lately?"

Snape smirked, in a low voice, he responded, "I think you know perfectly well what I've been doing, Hermione."


	2. Girl

The little girl with bushy brown hair and a prominent nose laughed as her mother pushed her on the swing set. She swung higher and higher, trying to touch the sky with her feet.

"Watch this, Mommy!" she said as she jumped off the swing, tumbling to the ground as her mother rushed forward to catch her.

She hadn't needed to, the girl simply bounced three times, then landed on her feet.

Her mother scolded her, all the while holding back a smile.

The man with the hooked nose, who had been watching from a nearby wood, turned and walked away.


	3. Medicine

"Well, what do you want?" Severus snarled at Lupin. "I hope it's important, what with you barging in like that."

"Just here for my Wolfsbane."

"I just sent you some by owl."

Lupin looked thoughtful. "So you did. I must have misplaced it."

Snape looked up from the essay he was grading. "What are you really here for?"

"Ron sent me an owl. He's concerned about Hermione. She's been distant lately." When Snape offered no response, he continued. "She's been writing you."

"Some delusional fixation she has."

"He found a letter you wrote back."

Snape refused to meet his eyes.


	4. Sleep

"Breaking up… a family!" Sirius exclaimed as he swung a roundhouse punch.

"It's not," Snape gasped, as he tried to dodge the blow. But it seemed no matter which way he turned, there was Sirius's fist flying at him.

"Not what, Snivellus?"

"Just… Weasley…" he panted.

"How do you live with yourself?" Sirius kicked him in the shin, and sent him tumbling to the ground.

Snape lifted his arm in front of his face, bracing himself for the net blow.

"I ought to kill you," Sirius snarled at him, ready to strike again.

Snape woke up in a cold sweat.


	5. Scare

"Severus, I'm.."

"Don't."

"What? I haven't even…"

He kissed her, curling his fingers into her hair. Brushing up against her cheek, he whispered, "Don't say another word."

"But…"

He pressed his finger to her lips and met her eyes with his. "I'm not going to like what you say. I know it. So let us have a moment to…"

"I'm pregnant."

He looked at her blankly.

"It's yours."

"You can't be sure."

"I am."

"Impossible."

"You're the only…"

"Mistaken."

"It can't be Ron," she stated emphatically.

"But…"

"Severus, please."

He was silent, rigid. She reached for his hand.

"I'm scared."


	6. Buy

"Why, professor Snape!" Hermione exclaimed, "What a surprise! What brings you to Flourish & Blotts?"

"None of your concern," he moved to step past her, "and it's no longer 'Professor'"

"Well, how have you been? What are you up to?"

"Twenty questions, is it?"

Hermione looked away. "It's just, I haven't seen you in years!"

"Hopefully it will be another five before you see me again." He began to walk away.

Hermione stepped in front of him. "Please, we must catch up."

"Still miserably nosy, I see."

"Let me buy you a Butterbeer."

Snape sighed. "Better make it a Firewhisky."


	7. Running

Every letter he wrote to her went directly into the fire. A morning ritual, sending her past to smoke.

Served him right, she thought. He hadn't said anything when she told him the news. Just sat there, staring into space for ages.

Then, without a word, he stood up and left.

She'd waited there, in the Hog's Head, telling herself he'd be back. She waited for hours.

A month later, the first letter arrived. A minute later, it was burning in the hearth. He'd had nothing to say to her then, there was nothing he could say to her now.


	8. Immovable

He showed up at four o'clock one day, at the little blue house in a quiet Muggle neighborhood.

"I'll get it!" a bright young voice rang out.

"No, Annabel, let Mum get it." She opened the door and looked up at the man standing there.

"Who is it? Who is it?" Annabel asked excitedly.

"No one, sweetie, finish your snack!" she called back into the house.

Then, softer, "What are you…"

He took a step forward into the threshold, enveloping her in his arms.

She stood, frozen, unsure, as he clutched her tightly, silently. Neither was willing to let go


	9. Miscommunication

HG -

It seems your dearest wish has come true. I will be returning to my teaching position at Hogwarts with the start of the new term. It seems Minerva took "I'm glad to be away from those bratty ingrates, and am enjoying the peace and quiet," as, "I miss those bright, angelic little faces and am dying to grade thousands of papers again." I would have declined, but she started on with some poppycock about Albus wanting that way, and threatened me with Howlers.

I'll expect you to stop by my quarters with a housewarming gift. It's only fair.

- SS


	10. Near

They sat on the floral-print couch, awkwardly angled toward each other. Annabel had been shooed into her bedroom to play while they had 'grown-up talk.'

"Well?"

"Well," he didn't know where to begin.

Silence, except for the soft pat of footsteps in the next room.

"She's ten, now, isn't she?"

"Eleven, next month."

"Going to Hogwarts, then?"

"She hasn't gotten her letter."

"She will."

"How should you know?"

Silence, again.

"Where have you _been_?"

"Nearby."

She scoffed. "Why haven't you..."

"You wouldn't have me, wouldn't listen to reason."

"Says the man that went running the moment I truly needed him."


	11. Anger

"You're what?" Ron's voice hit a squeak as his face turned the color of his hair.

Hermione was silent, her face buried in her hands.

"How could you..." He paced back and forth in front of her. "I knew... I knew _something_ was happening... Thought if I just... tried harder, you would..." He stopped and faced her. "Well, Hermione, what are we going to do now?" he asked.

Still silent, Hermione curled her legs in closer to her, making herself as small as she could.

"I won't raise this child as my own, Hermione. I can't. It's your choice now."


	12. Bags

She was packed and ready to leave before Ron cam home from work the next day. She was just about to Floo to Hogwarts when Ron apparated into the living room.

She stopped, waiting to see if he'd say anything.

"Not even a goodbye, then?"

"I thought it would be best if I left quietly."

Ron didn't respond, but stepped towards her. "I loved you. More than I said it."

"I know." She'd loved him, too, but it didn't matter, now.

"Maybe we could…"

"No." She stopped him. "We couldn't."

She tossed the powder to the flames, and was gone.


	13. Untold

"Says the man who walked out the moment I needed him."

Snape looked into her eyes. "I need you, now."

Hermione stood. "Well, then. I guess we're even." She walked towards Annabel's room. "I believe you can show yourself out."

He grumbled as he left, "Bloody impossible woman. Always was. We're all better off this way."

With a sigh, Hermione leaned against the wall just inside Annabel's room. She watched her daughter busily changing her dolls' outfits to get them ready for a ball. "I've done just fine for ten years. I'll be just fine without him."

They both lied.


	14. Know

Scared? In all the time he'd known Hermione, Snape couldn't remember a time where she'd been scared of something like this. She'd always faced challenges head on. Surely she could handle something like this.

He, on the other hand, couldn't.

"What are we going to do?" she asked, looking at him expectantly. As if he had some sort of answer for her.

He didn't. "Excuse me," he said, so quietly, he wasn't even sure if she heard him. Standing up swiftly, he headed towards the door. Perhaps some pacing out in the cold would help. He never came back in.


	15. Alcohol

Hermione stared down into her Butterbeer, trying to think of a way to begin their conversation. She peered at Snape out of the corner of her eye. He drained his Firewhiskey and slammed it back down on the bar, not so much as glancing in her direction.

Hermione cleared her throat, preparing to say something, anything, to break the silence, when Snape spoke.

"So, have you and Weasley got a pack of gingers running about yet? You should have at least three by now, considering his history."

The grip on her glass tightened. This had been a very bad idea.


End file.
